Around the locker room with the Packers' rookies

Green Bay --- A few sound bites from the Packers' rookies Friday in the locker room....

RB Eddie Lacy

On playing with Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson at Alabama: "I had to compete pretty much everywhere I went. It’s not like something I’ll have to get used to. It’s something I’ve been through already. So I know what to expect and I know how to go through it. So I take those experiences and I just bring them and continue to do what I’ve been doing."

On the benefits of not having as many carries with them around: "It helps a lot because like you said, I didn’t get hit a lot. I had those guys with me, and we rotated often. But at the same time it gets people to thinking that maybe I’m not an every-down back because I never had to be. There are two ways to look at it, but I don’t have a lot of mileage on me so I feel like I’m going to have a pretty long career."

DE Datone Jones

On if he can get "nasty:" “I’m a D-Lineman. That’s all I know is nasty.”

On being a point guard in high school: “I’m telling you guys, I was skinny. I’ll have to bring you guys a picture. I was skinny. Every night I’d eat three peanut butter and jelly sandwiches right before I went to sleep. The transformation just was crazy.”

On how much he'd like to weigh: “Right now, I’m 285. I feel like I good playing weight for a defensive end is 285, 290. The weight will help playing against strong offensive tackles in this league. But I feel like I’m pretty athletic. I’m really strong. I can fit anywhere in this defense.”

WR Charles Johnson

On his favorite route: "I think I can beat people a lot on the post route. I love the post. And also, I love screens. I like to get the ball quick in my hands and make a play. So I like the post route. That’s probably my favorite."

On his overall game: "I can run routes. I mean, people question, ‘He hasn’t ran many routes at Grand Valley.' Yeah, but I’ve been running a lot of routes when I was my true freshman year at Eastern Kentucky and everything. I ran a lot of routes there. I run a lot of routes on my own. So, I can run routes as well. I think I have a complete game. So, I mean, I’m going to still keep working. Keep working to craft and sharpen up those techniques and everything."

RB Johnathan Franklin

On Green Bay adding two top backs from big schools: "It's great. Competition is going to bring out the best in you. We're definitely going to find out what kind of men we are and what kind of athletes we are. So I'm excited to compete with Eddie and learn from Eddie and get better with him as well."

On competing: "Everybody wants to be the best. But at the end of the day, the best person on this team is the team. It's all about the team. We're here to make the Green Bay Packers better."

CB Micah Hyde

On the playbook: “I think the coaches at Iowa with Coach Ferentz and when Norm (Parker) was there and Phil (Parker) stepping in and stuff like that, just the individual coaches I had, they prepared us well for the NFL. We did run a lot of Cover 2 and stuff like that at Iowa but we prepared also the same defense that I’m seeing right now. A lot of the same similarities, same calls and stuff like that and like I said, I think the Iowa coaches prepared us pretty well.”

On his strengths: “Just being versatile. I think I’m a pretty smart player. Whatever defense that’s out there, I’ll be ready for. I’ll know it. I can play any position.”

On instincts: “I think it’s very important. I may not be the fastest guy, the strongest guy, but I know the game of football. Like I said, I’m pretty smart. I just react and most of the time, just my reaction is…I made some big plays in the past and I’d like to do that in the future too.”

OT David Bakhtiari

On his best position: "Wherever, really. I think I’m most comfortable, to answer your question, I’m most comfortable at left tackle. That’s where I played the past two seasons. But wherever I can get the most time and reps at, I can feel comfortable at that position. Wherever they want to put me is where I’m going to play."

On if he's confident competing for a starting spot: "Defininitely. I’m definitely confident in what I have and how I can play. It’s just wheter they can trust me and I can acclimate to this next pro level."

(Journal Sentinel photo by Mark Hoffman)

About Tyler Dunne

Tyler Dunne covers the Green Bay Packers. He has been on the beat since 2011, winning awards with the Pro Football Writers of America and Milwaukee Press Club.